Help! Plants dying!

[Platiesareawesome]

Hello! I just got back from an eight day vacation, and when I looked at my tank, the plants looked HORRIBLE:



They used to be doing great IMO:



What went wrong? Recently, my 3 ember tetras died. My platies seem fine. There are plant leaves and debris from the plants floating around the tank. The java ferns are turning brown. The crypts are little stubs with only a few leaves left.

The only changes in my tank have been:

1. I started using Seachem comprehensive fertilizer
2. I added a new heater, because my old one broke.
3. My water change schedule had been out of sync because of the vacation. (My nitrates were at 5-10 when I left, though.
4. I added some new plants (they were the plants they sell in plastic tubes).

What happened? Thank you!

 

[Platiesareawesome]

Help! Anyone?

 

[Prediscus23]

We're the lights on a timer while you were gone?

Also, are you dosing c02 at all?

 

[Fishdude3233]

You know that java fern has to be attached to rock or driftwood otherwise it will rot

 

[Platiesareawesome]

We're the lights on a timer while you were gone?

Also, are you dosing c02 at all?

Yes, I have a timer, and I am not using c02. My lights are cheap LEDs by the way! Lol!

 

[Platiesareawesome]

You know that java fern has to be attached to rock or driftwood otherwise it will rot

I heard that java fern can be kept in gravel if the rhizome is above the gravel.

 

[Prediscus23]

Yes, I have a timer, and I am not using c02. My lights are cheap LEDs by the way! Lol!

Oh lol, how long have you had all the plants in there?

 

[Pezzep]

Plants tend to melt or die off when new to a tank, if you see new growth on the plant like little leaves or whatever then they should come back in time. Almost all my plants have done this to me, might not be all the leaves at once that wilt away but some will and new ones will take their place. Usually I just snip the dieing leaves right off so they aren't taking nutrients from the plant.

 

[Platiesareawesome]

Oh lol, how long have you had all the plants in there?

I think my first plants were in my tank since around May. I added some new plants around a week ago. Did the new plants carry disease or something?

 

[Platiesareawesome]

Plants tend to melt or die off when new to a tank, if you see new growth on the plant like little leaves or whatever then they should come back in time. Almost all my plants have done this to me, might not be all the leaves at once that wilt away but some will and new ones will take their place. Usually I just snip the dieing leaves right off so they aren't taking nutrients from the plant.

Thanks for your response!

 

[Rivercats]

If you added tube plants then there shouldn't be any problems. And rarely do plants cause other plants to melt. What usually can trigger melt in older plants is a change in tank conditions. Also what ferts are you using? One thing I learned about Java Ferns is they really like a lot of phosphates. When I keep my phosphate levels up they grow great and rarely ever grow daughter plants, which makes me happy.

 

[Platiesareawesome]

If you added tube plants then there shouldn't be any problems. And rarely do plants cause other plants to melt. What usually can trigger melt in older plants is a change in tank conditions. Also what ferts are you using? One thing I learned about Java Ferns is they really like a lot of phosphates. When I keep my phosphate levels up they grow great and rarely ever grow daughter plants, which makes me happy.

Seachem flourish comprehensive

 

[Rivercats]

If your using it once a week try going up to 2x a week.

 

[Platiesareawesome]

If your using it once a week try going up to 2x a week.

Ok. Thanks for the help! Will the plants grow back?

 

[Rivercats]

I'm not seeing dying plants in those pic's. They appear fine from what I can see. Damaged leaves won't grow back but new growth should be fine and healthy.

 

[Platiesareawesome]

I'm not seeing dying plants in those pic's. They appear fine from what I can see. Damaged leaves won't grow back but new growth should be fine and healthy.

Ok. Should I just dose fertilizer 2 times a week and leave them alone? Is there anything else I need to do? Just curious, why do you think this happened? All my plants, but especially my crypts, doing well, and then this happened.

 

[jetajockey]

I heard that java fern can be kept in gravel if the rhizome is above the gravel.

They can, I've yet to see a school of ferns desperately tying themselves to rocks and wood in nature.

 

[Fishperson]

They can, I've yet to see a school of ferns desperately tying themselves to rocks and wood in nature.

Haha, true. BTW, I love your fish snob video! But what about African Cichlid snobs?!

 

[Rivercats]

Ok. Should I just dose fertilizer 2 times a week and leave them alone? Is there anything else I need to do? Just curious, why do you think this happened? All my plants, but especially my crypts, doing well, and then this happened.

It's hard to say what triggered it honestly. But I'd just up the ferts and keep an eye on things. They really don't look bad in the pic's.

 

[Platiesareawesome]

It's hard to say what triggered it honestly. But I'd just up the ferts and keep an eye on things. They really don't look bad in the pic's.

I'm just concerned about my crypts because they where doing so well. Thanks for your help! I appreciate it!